The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) on Monday commenced an indefinite strike.
This was contained in a communique issued by the ARD-FCTA and signed by its President, Dr. George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong.
The action follows the association’s seven-day warning strike, which ended after an emergency general meeting held on Sunday.
The ARD-FCTA is made up of doctors working across 14 district and general hospitals as well as the Department of Public Health under the FCTA.
The doctors had earlier embarked on a warning strike last Monday to press home their demands after months of unresolved negotiations with the administration.
According to the communique, the association reassessed the issues previously presented to management and expressed disappointment that none of their demands had been addressed.
“This once again confirms our fears of the chronic neglect of our healthcare system affecting the effectiveness of the medical doctors in order to carry out care in the highest standard,” the doctors stated in the communique.
Their demands include payment of salary arrears ranging from one to six months owed to members employed since 2023, immediate recruitment of new staff, settlement of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, and payment of arrears from the 25–35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
They are also demanding clear timelines for completing skipping and conversion processes for all members, settlement of accumulated arrears, correction of erroneous deductions from salaries, and rectification of irregular and erratic salary payment patterns.
Other demands are the conversion of post-Part II Fellows to the Consultant cadre within six months of passing, documented timelines for promotion exercises with full arrears, payment of wage award arrears, renovation and equipping of FCTA hospitals to world-class standards, payment of outstanding hazard allowance arrears, and settlement of salary arrears owed to newly employed external residents, some of whom are being owed three to four months’ pay.
At the close of deliberations on Sunday, Congress resolved to embark on an indefinite strike.
“After the most passionate and historic deliberations in ARD-FCT, Congress unanimously resolved that Congress shall embark on an indefinite strike action commencing 8:00 a.m., Monday, 15th September 2025, until the government and management demonstrate genuine commitment to making health in the FCT a priority.
“We do hope that the management will do the urgent needful to meet all of our demands for the sake of our patients and ourselves,” the communique added.